Method and System for Trick Mode Suppression Control

ABSTRACT

The present application provides a method and system for the control of trick mode suppression schemes in media content such that trick mode support can be re-enabled for the received content. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for trick mode suppression control includes examining a received media content signal to identify trick mode disabled portion (s) of the media content. The method further includes monitoring identified trick mode disabled portions of the media content to determine which portion (s) of a trick mode disabled portion of the media content have been viewed. In one embodiment, trick mode functionality is then restored for the portions of the trick mode disabled media content that satisfy the preview conditions defined in the media content as it is being viewed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to content having trick modesuppression and, more particularly, to a method and system for thecontrol of trick mode suppression schemes in media content such thattrick mode support can be re-enabled for the content.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Television commercial messages (commercials) have become a common way toadvertise products, manufacturers, services, politicians, charities,etc. on behalf of their sponsors. Television commercials can beinformative, educational or entertaining, and can, in some instances, beworthy of retaining for future viewing. For example, certain televisioncommercials can contain historically significant political messages,while others can be entertaining as shown during the annual Super Bowl.Some commercials, however, can be bothersome and/or uninteresting.

With the advent of disc drive based content recorders (i.e., personalvideo recorders (PVRs)) and to some extent video tape recorders (VTRs),a user is able to control viewing of television programming by timeshifting the programming and using trick play modes such as “fastforward” to skip portions of the recorded programming such as, forexample, the commercials. Commercial skipping can become a seriousproblem for broadcasters because broadcasters are compensated bysponsors who pay for commercials to be presented to the viewingaudience. If a broadcaster cannot guarantee a sponsor that a commercialwill be shown, a sponsor can become reluctant to pay for thatadvertising space and time.

In an effort to assure advertisers that commercials will be shown, evenduring a time shifting scenario, broadcasters have developed mediacontent having playback requirements communicated with the content to befollowed during playback of the content. For example, media contenttoday can contain start/end synchronization packets or specialcommercial data packets that can contain a byte of data that indicatesplayback requirements established or set by a broadcaster for any givenprogramming to be recorded, such as a commercial.

To minimize consumer annoyance, a broadcaster can minimize a number offorced playbacks of recorded programming. For example a broadcaster cansell forced playback commercial slots at a premium, but minimize thenumber of such forced slots in a television program. The forced playbackslots are locations in the media content in which trick modes aredisabled.

In one example of configured playback rights, the playback rights for acommercial are stored along with the recorded television program. Insuch examples, counters are configured to determine a number of timesthat a commercial has been fully viewed. Once the number of times acommercial is viewed satisfies a predetermined threshold, trick modes(e.g., fast forward, skip ahead) can again be enabled. In such currentlyavailable systems, a commercial is considered as having been viewed whenall frames for the commercial have been rendered to the user duringplayback. As such in such prior art systems, trick modes cannot beenabled until a commercial is viewed in its entirety for a predeterminednumber of times.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention advantageously provides a method and system forthe control of trick mode suppression schemes in media content such thattrick mode support can be re-enabled for the received content.

In one embodiment of the present invention a method for trick modesuppression control includes examining a received media content signalto identify trick mode disabled portion(s) of the media content. Themethod further includes monitoring identified trick mode disabledportions of the media content to determine which portion(s) of a trickmode disabled portion of the media content have been viewed. Trick modefunctionality is then restored for the portions of the trick modedisabled media content that satisfy the preview conditions defined inthe media content received from the source as it is being viewed.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a system for trickmode suppression control for media content including preview conditionsfor portions of the media content includes a recording/play deviceincluding a memory and a processor configure to perform the steps ofexamining the received media content signal to identify trick modedisabled portion(s) of the media content, monitoring identified trickmode disabled portions of the media content to determine whichportion(s) of a trick mode disabled portion of the media content havebeen viewed, and restoring trick mode functionality for the portions ofthe trick mode disabled media content that satisfy the previewconditions defined in the media content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of a personal video recorderfor implementing the inventive concepts in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a real-time timeline of trick mode disabled media contentduring a viewing mode;

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a method for controlling trick modesuppression in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 depicts a high level block diagram of a of a user interface inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

It should be understood that the drawings are for purposes ofillustrating the concepts of the invention and are not necessarily theonly possible configuration for illustrating the invention. Tofacilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used,where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to thefigures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention advantageously provides a method and system forthe control of trick mode suppression schemes in media content such thattrick mode support can be re-enabled for the received content. Althoughthe present invention will be described primarily within the context ofa specific recording device comprising specific components, the specificembodiments of the present invention should not be treated as limitingthe scope of the invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art and informed by the teachings of the present invention that theconcepts of the present invention can be advantageously applied insubstantially any recording or playback device receiving media contentwith trick mode suppression schemes for the control of trick modesuppression schemes in the media content such that trick mode supportcan be re-enabled for the received content. For example, while aPersonal Video Recorder (PVR) is used as an example throughout theteachings of the present invention, any digital television receivingdevice with similar functionality, such as a Digital Video Recorder,Set-top Box or television receiver, and the like is considered to be thesame or equivalent.

FIG. 1 depicts a high level block diagram of a recording device forimplementing the advanced operating features in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. The recording device 100 of FIG. 1illustratively comprises a mechanical assembly 104, a control section120, a video/audio input processing path 140 and a video/audio outputprocessing path 170. The allocation of most of the blocks to differentsections or paths is self-evident, whereas the allocation of some of theblocks is made for purposes of convenience and is not critical tounderstanding the operation of the recording device.

The mechanical assembly 104 comprises a motor 106 for spinning a storagedisc 102 and a pickup assembly 108 that is adapted to be moved over thespinning disc 102. A laser on the pickup assembly 108 burns spots onto aspiral track on the disc 102 or illuminates spots already burned ontothe track for recording and playing back video and/or audio programmaterial. For purposes of understanding the invention, it is irrelevantwhether the disc 102 is recordable on one or two sides, or in the eventof a double-sided recording, whether the double-sided recording, orsubsequent reading from the disc 102, takes place from the same side ofthe disc or from both sides. The pickup assembly 108 and the motor 106are controlled by a servo 110. The servo 110 also receives the PlaybackSignal of data read from the spiral track of the disc 102 as a firstinput. The Playback Signal is also an input to an error correctioncircuit 130, which can be considered part of the control section or partof the video/audio output processing path 170.

The control section 120 comprises a control central processing unit(CPU) 122 and a navigation data generation circuit 126. The control CPU122 supplies a first input signal to the navigation data generationcircuit 126, and the servo 110 supplies a second input signal to thenavigation data generation circuit 126. The servo 110 can also beconsidered part of the control section 120. The navigation datageneration circuit 126 supplies first input signal to the multiplexer(MUX) 154, which forms part of the video/audio input processing path140.

The output of the MUX 154 is an input to an error correction codingcircuit 128. The output of the error correction coding circuit 128 is arecordable input signal supplied to the pickup 108, which will be“burned” onto the spiral track of the disc 102 by the laser.

The control CPU 122 also preferably has access to the data contained inthe track buffer 172 and record buffer 152 as shown in FIG. 1. Thecontrol CPU 122 can delete, modify, and reformat video data stored inthe track buffer 172 and record buffer 152. Control and data interfacesare also preferably provided for permitting CPU 122 to control theoperation of video encoder 144 and audio encoder 148. Suitable softwareor firmware is provided in memory for the conventional operationsperformed by control CPU 122.

A control buffer 132 is provided for viewer activatable functions suchas play, record, rewind, fast forward, slow play, jump, pause/play, stopand the like. The control buffer 132 can comprise a user interfaceprovided for communicating viewer inputs. For example, FIG. 4 depicts ahigh level block diagram of user interface in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. The user interface 400 of FIG. 4can include a control panel 405 having a screen or display 402 or can beimplemented in software as a graphical user interface. Controls 410-426can include actual knobs/sticks 410, keypads/keyboards 424, buttons418-422 virtual knobs/sticks and/or buttons 414, a mouse 426, a joystick430 and the like, depending on the implementation of the user interface400.

The video/audio input processing path 140 is a signal processing circuitfor converting a conventional television signal, for example NTSC orPAL, into digitized packet data, for example MPEG-1 or MPEG-2, fordigital recording by the device 100. The input path 140 comprises anNTSC decoder 142 and video encoder, for example MPEG-1 or MPEG-2, 144for video in, and comprises an audio analog-to-digital converter (A/D)146 and an audio encoder, for example MPEG, AC3 or DTS, 148. Thedigitized signals are combined in a multiplexer 150 and stored in therecord buffer 152 until an entire packet has been constructed. As groupsof audio and video data packets are created, they are combined in MUX154 with appropriate navigation packets generated in the navigationgeneration block 126. The packets are then sent to the error correctioncoding circuit 128. Error correction coding circuit 128 can also bedeemed to be part of the input path 140.

The output processing path 170 comprises error correction block 130 anda track buffer, or output buffer, 172, in which data read from the disc102 is temporarily stored for further processing. This data is processedby conditional access circuit 174 that controls propagation of the datathrough demultiplexer 176 and into respective paths for video and audioprocessing.

The video is decoded by decoder 178, for example from MPEG-1 or MPEG-2,and encoded as a conventional television signal, for example NTSC orPAL. The audio is decoded by circuit 182, for example from MPEG, AC3 orDTS, and converted to analog form by audio digital-to-analog (D/A)converter 184.

Notably, the present invention can be realized in hardware, software, ora combination of hardware and software. Machine readable storageaccording to the present invention can be realized in a centralizedfashion in one computer system, for example the control CPU 122, or in adistributed fashion where different elements are spread across severalinterconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or otherapparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein isacceptable.

Specifically, although the present invention as described hereinspecifically comprises a control CPU 122 of FIG. 1, a typicalcombination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computersystem with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed,controls the computer system and a recording system similar to thecontrol section 120 of FIG. 1 such that it carries out the methodsdescribed herein. The present invention can also be embedded in acomputer program product which comprises all the features enabling theimplementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded ina computer system is able to carry out these methods.

A computer program in the present context can mean any expression, inany language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended tocause a system having an information processing capability to perform aparticular function either directly or after either or both of thefollowing: (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; and (b)reproduction in a different material form. The invention disclosedherein can be a method embedded in a computer program which can beimplemented by a programmer using commercially available developmenttools for operating systems compatible with the control CPU 122described above.

Trick Mode Suppression Control

As previously mentioned, broadcasters have developed media contentincluding trick mode suppression schemes. More specifically, content hasbeen developed that requires that at least specific portions of thecontent (e.g., commercials) be viewed at least one before allowing thefast-forwarding or rewinding of at least those specific portion of thecontent. In accordance with various embodiments of the presentinvention, such trick mode disabled media content can be monitored inreal time for determining which portions of the, trick mode disabledcontent has already been viewed and enabling trick mode functionalityfor the portions of the trick mode disabled content that has beenviewed.

For example, FIG. 2 depicts a real-time timeline of trick mode disabledmedia content during a viewing mode. As depicted in FIG. 2, the trickmode disabled media content is monitored and as the trick mode disabledmedia content is viewed, the trick mode functionality is enabled in theportions of the media content that have been viewed. More specifically,in one embodiment of the present invention, the recording device 100 ofFIG. 1 receives media content from a source such as a broadcaster. Therecording device 100 examines the received media content to determinetrick mode disabled portions of the received media content (i.e.,portions of the media content having viewing requirements). When therecording device 100 identifies trick mode disabled media content, therecording device continues to monitor the received media content andidentifies portions of the trick mode disabled media content that havebeen watched in real-time. As the media content is being watched, therecording device 100 enables trick mode functionality for the portionsof the trick mode disable media content that satisfy the previewconditions defined in the media content received from the source.

For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, trick modedisabled media content received by the recording device 100 containsinformation indicating that portions of the broadcast media content mustbe watched at least once. As such and as described above, the recordingdevice 100 examines the received media content to determine trick modedisabled portions of the received media content. When the recordingdevice 100 identifies trick mode disabled media content, the recordingdevice monitors the received media content and identifies portions ofthe trick mode disabled media content that have been watched at leastonce. As the media content is being watched, the recording device 100enables trick mode functionality for the portions of the trick modedisable media content that satisfy the preview conditions defined in themedia content received from the source, in this case the portions of thetrick mode disabled media content that have been viewed at least once.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, trick mode disabledmedia content received by the recording device 100 contains informationindicating that portions of the broadcast media content must be watchedmore than once, for example twice. As such and as described above, therecording device 100 examines the received media content to determinetrick mode disabled portions of the received media content. When therecording device 100 identifies trick mode disabled media content, therecording device monitors the received media content and identifiesportions of the trick mode disabled media content that have beenwatched. The recording device 100 keeps track of which portions of thetrick mode disabled media content have been watched. For example, in oneembodiment of the present invention, a data file is created and storedin a memory of the recording device 100 identifying which trick modedisabled portions of the media content have been watched and how manytimes each of the portions have been respectively watched. As the mediacontent is being watched, the recording device 100 enables trick modefunctionality for the portions of the trick mode disable media contentthat satisfy the preview conditions defined in the media contentreceived from the source, in this case the portions of the trick modedisabled media content that have been viewed at least twice.

Although in the embodiments described above it is taught that previewconditions for the trick mode disabled portions of the media content arereceived with the media content, in alternate embodiments of the presentinvention, preview conditions for the trick mode disabled portions ofthe media content can be input, for example, via the user interface 400or received via a separate transmission to the recording device of thepresent invention from for example, the content source, subscriptionservice, or substantially any other means of providing previewconditions for the trick mode disabled portions of the media content.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of a method for controlling trick modesuppression in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.The method 300 of FIG. 3 begins in step 302 in which a media contentsignal having a trick mode suppression scheme is received. That is, amedia content signal having at least one identified trick mode disabledportion is received by a recording/play device in accordance with thepresent invention. The method 300 then proceeds to step 304.

At step 304, the received media content signal is examined to detect thepresence of at least one trick mode disabled portion of the mediacontent signal. If a trick mode disable portion is detected the methodproceeds to step 306. If a trick mode disabled portion is not detected,the received media content signal continues to be examined.

At step 306, a trick mode disabled portion of the received media contentis monitored to determine which portions of the trick mode disabledmedia content have been viewed. The method 300 then proceeds to step308.

At step 308, trick mode functionality is restored for the portions ofthe trick mode disabled media content that satisfy predefined previewconditions. For example and as described above, in one embodiment of thepresent invention, the preview conditions can be defined in the mediacontent received from the source as it is being viewed. That is, in oneembodiment of the present invention, the received media content containsa preview condition for the trick mode disabled portion(s) of thecontent such that the trick mode disabled portion(s) of the mediacontent must be viewed at least once. In such an embodiment, as themedia content is being watched, the recording device of the presentinvention enables trick mode functionality for the portions of the trickmode disable media content that satisfy the preview conditions definedin the media content received from the source, in this case the portionsof the trick mode disabled media content that have been viewed at leastonce. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, previewconditions for the trick mode disabled portions of the media content canbe defined by a user input or via a separate transmission to therecording device of the present invention. The method 300 can then exitor can optionally proceed to step 310.

At step 310, a recording device of the present invention keeps track ofwhich portions of the trick mode disabled media content have beenwatched. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a datafile is created and stored in a memory of the recording deviceidentifying which trick mode disabled portions of the media content havebeen watched and how many times each of the portions have beenrespectively watched. As the media content is being watched, therecording device 100 enables trick mode functionality for the portionsof the trick mode disable media content that satisfy the previewconditions defined in the media content received.

Having described various embodiments for a method and system for thecontrol of trick mode suppression schemes in media content (which areintended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted thatmodifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the artin light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood thatchanges may be made in the particular embodiments of the inventiondisclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention asoutlined by the appended claims. While the forgoing is directed tovarious embodiments of the present invention, other and furtherembodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from thebasic scope thereof.

1. A method for controlling trick mode suppression in media content,comprising: examining said media content signal to identify the presenceof at least one trick mode disabled portion; monitoring said at leastone trick mode disabled portion of said media content to determine whichportions have been viewed; and restoring trick mode functionality forthe portions of the trick mode disabled media content that satisfypreview conditions.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said trick modefunctionality is restored in real-time as the content satisfies thepreview conditions.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said previewconditions are received along with said media content.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said preview conditions define a number of times that atrick mode disabled portion of said media content must be viewed beforetrick mode functionality can be restored.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising storing information regarding which trick modedisabled portions of the media content have been viewed and how manytimes each of the portions have been respectively viewed.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein said trick mode disabled portions of said mediacontent comprise commercials.
 7. A method for disabling trick modesuppression in media content, comprising: examining said media contentsignal to identify the presence of at least one trick mode disabledportion; monitoring said at least one trick mode disabled portion ofsaid media content to determine which portions have been viewed; andrestoring trick mode functionality for the portions of the trick modedisabled media content as the portions satisfy preview conditions. 8.The method of claim 7, wherein said preview conditions are receivedalong with said media content.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein saidpreview conditions define a number of times that a trick mode disabledportion of said media content must be viewed before trick modefunctionality can be restored.
 10. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising storing information regarding which trick mode disabledportions of the media content have been viewed and how many times eachof the portions have been respectively viewed.
 11. The method of claim7, wherein said trick mode disabled portions of said media contentcomprise advertising segments.
 12. A system for controlling trick modesuppression in media content, comprising: a user interface for enablingthe selection of trick modes; a storage means for storing at least oneof said media content, programs and instructions, and informationregarding said media content; and a processor in communication with saidstorage means, said processor configured to: examine said media contentto identify the presence of at least one trick mode disabled portion;monitor said at least one trick mode disabled portion of said mediacontent to determine which portions have been viewed; and restore trickmode functionality for the portions of the trick mode disabled mediacontent that satisfy preview conditions.
 13. The system of claim 12,wherein said user interface comprises at least one of a wireless remotecontrol, a pointing device, such as a mouse or a trackball, a voicerecognition system, a touch screen, on screen menus, buttons, and knobs.14. The system of claim 12, wherein said system comprises an audio/videoplayback device for playing said media content.
 15. The system of claim12, wherein said system comprises a recording device.